Art of stemming tobacco



F. C. SCHOFIELD ART OF STEMMING TOBACCO April 7, 1925.

Filed Deo. lO, 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet l www.

April 7,- 1925.

F. C. SCHOFIELD ART 0F STEMMING TOBACCO Filed Dec. 1o. 1921 2sheets-sheet 2' CJD CK i

Patented 7, 1925.

UNETED S'li'l ES Per Enr cerros.

At-T 0F STEMMING TOBACCO.

Application filed December Campbell.andjState of Virginia,- haveinvented certa-in new and useful. lmprovements in the Jelrt ofStemmingrlilobaeco,r of

which the following is a specification;

rllhis invention 4relates to leafy stemming and more particularly to amethod of and apparatus for ste-mining tobeeco leaves; and bas'speei -lreference to the provision of a leaf stem ne; method and apparatus ofthe type in which the weh. or lamina of the leaf is detached from thestem by ,stripping the leaf lamina from an intermediate point of i thestem towards itsepipo.J te ends.

@ne of the common classes of machines used for stemn'iing;` tobaccolea-Yes compre hends apparatus in which 'the principle is employedofiscizing or gripping` the stem of the tobacco leaf andstripping' theWeb or lamina of the leaf from the stem as by drawing the gripped leafthrough stemming` or stripping; elements. According to one type ofmachine employing this general princi-ple, the leaf is seized or grippedat the butt end of the same 'and the leaf so` gripped is fed throughstemming elements which strip the lamina from the butt end towardsrthetip end of the leaf. Although in this type of machine the butt, beingstrong', toughv vend firm, may be securely gripped and the leafefficiently fedthrough the stemming: elements, it is Well known that thedetaching' of the lamina from the' stem 1s caA d on vlthconsiderahled-ifliculty, the

y vstemminp,` from huit to tip ini being', with the grain of thc leefand in causing a crowd ing or bunehingg` of the lamina' about the stemheilig a fairly diflienlt operation. To overcome this disadvantageincident to stemming from butt to tip` another type of machine has beendevised in. which the leaf is gripped or seized at the tip end and thestemming),` operation effected from the tip to- `wards the butt. Thestemming` or stripping` from tip towards butt involves a stripping`.f'aihst the leaf grain and such stripping he effected with considerableease and However, in the latter type of altlnianeh the stripping1 stepmay Considerable 10, 1921. Serial No. 521,319.

difliculty has been encountered in properly gripping the tip end of theleaf and feedingr the leaf from the stemming; elements bythe gripped tipend, thethin relatively frail and infirm. tip end of the leaf beingliable; to tearingl and breaking when subjected. to a moderate negre-eof pulling strain. This disadvantage has been so serious at times thatin some forms of vthis latter type of machine special meansl have had tobedevised for ehangingthe grippingpoint off the stem from thetip towardsthe tougher part yof the stem fibre as the leaf vis progres sivelystripped therefrom. The type of inaiehine, therefore, Where thebutt endlof the .leaf is `seized and the leaf kstripped from hutt to tip: is opento the disadvantage of diilioult stripping orA steinniii'ig; and thetype where the tip end is gripped and the leaf stripped from the tip tobutt is open. to the equally serious disadvantage of insecure. andimperfect gripping and feeding. To eliminate the defects ordisadvantages incident to such types of machines.` and to condi-ine tie'desirable features there-of, a third type of machine has been devisedinVwhich the leaf stem is grippedat` a point in termediate theends thereofand the lamina stripped from such point towardsthe opposite ends of theleaf. The intermediate point of the stem consists of a relatively toughfibre and sue-h part of the stem may be securely taken hold of and theleaf may be fed through stripping means with the stein sii-grippedWithout the liability of the stein breaking; or tearing. Although partof the stemming', namely that from the gripped intermediate pointtowards the tip, is relatively diihcult, the stemming from L'-pped.intermediatepoint towards the butt is earriecl-onrarith ease. InVthis manner relatively facile stripping `or stemming may he combinedwith eliicient ripping and feeding' operations,

Although this third type 'of stemming machine offers a `Way forgenerally eliminat` point were stripped in successive steps, specialgripping, feeding` and stemming,` constructions had to be devised whichwere at once cumbersome in structure and intricate in operation. Wherethe parts of the leaf were stripped in opposite direction simultaneouslyfrom the intermediate point, in addition to providing several sets ofstemming rolls active on such parts with the resulting increase incomplexity of the machine structure, special means for gripping` thestem so as to talre up for differential strains in opposite directionshad to be incorporated in the machine because of the necessity toequalize stripping` action in opposite directions, this being impossibleof attainment without such means. because of the fact that stripping inthe direction towards the butt requires less resisting` pull thanstripping in the direction to vvards the stem, the draws in oppositedirection being therefore unequal. Prior machines of this type,therefore, although logically correct in attacking the stemming problemon the broad principle of gripping` at an intermediate point andstemming towards the opposite ends of the leaf, do not supply the bestsolution from the viewpoint of accomplishing the desired ends withrelatively simple apparatus so that gripping, feeding and stemming canbe carried on with the facility and speed attainable in this type ofmachine.

My present invention primarily conteniplates the provision of anapparatus of the type last referred to in which the principle ofgripping the stem at a point intermediate its ends and stripping thelamina or blade of the leaf from such point towards the opposite ends ofthe leaf is employed, my invention contemplating a novel method of andapparatus for gripping', feeding and stemmingthe blades, such method andapparatus not being` subject to the defects found in prior machines ofthis type.

The principal objects of my invention may be said to include, besidesthe provision of a method of and apparatus for stemming tobacco leavesof the kind referred to7 the provision of a method and apparatus inwhich the leaf is folded about the gripped point and the lamina detachedfrom the resulting` folds; the provision of a method and apparatus ofthis type in which the leaf is folded and fed in folded conditionthrough a set of stemming elementsQ the folds of the leaf beingsimultaneously acted upon by the same set of stemming rolls, theapparatus required being rela,- tively not only simple, but stemmingbeing` carried on with a tendency towards equalisingopposing pulls ordraws on the stem and with secure stem gripping and feeding effected;the still further provision of a method and apparatus in which thelamina of the leaf is removed from the folds and from the grippedportion of the stemz the latter being' effected by secondary stenun felements; the further provision of novel secondary stemming elements;the still further provision of a novel method and means for positioninglthe tobacco ica and for feeding the grippers thereto a the generalprovision of simple easily erated and controlled apparatus carrying onthe various steps of the method.

To the accomplishment of thel fore and such other objects as may hereiniter appear, my invention consists in the elements and their relationone to the otheix as hereinafter particularly described and sought to bedefined in the claims7 reference beingy had to the accompanyingvcrawings which show a preferred embodiment of my invention and in which:

Figure l is a side elevational view of my stemming' machine with partsbrolrcn away to show the construction of the feedingr and stemmingapparatus including the primary and secondary stemming' elements. 90

Figures 2 to 5 are views sl'iowing` successive stages of the stemmingoperationr` Figure G is a detached view of the secondary stemming'elements showing the saine in a stage of activity subsequent to thatsl'iown in Figure 1.

Figure 7 is a rear end elevational view of the secondary str-mining1elements, and

lfipjure 8 is a view of a detail.

As hereinbefore referred to. a prim-f.` dcsideratum of in i presentinrention comprehends the provi in of a tobacco stemming; constructionin which the tobacco leaves are folded about a point intermediate thecnvfls of t e leaf and the la iina or weh of the leaf is ipped 1 om theresulting1 folds. ln the present exmnplification of my invention thetobacco leaves, after being; unticd from the bundle or hand,77 areilaced on a feed table and while in position on said table the leavesare seized or taken hold of by means of y ping elements fed to thetable, the le@ f." being' gripped at a point or portion internodiate theends of the leaf and the so gripped leaves are fed foiuvard to hestemmed. This exemplitication of mv invention is shown in. the drawingsand riferr-ini;- to Figure l of the drawings, l show mounted on abracket l0 forming` p the stationary framework ll a suppe and on the.iid support l provide the clined feed table 19%. lilpon the table 23placed the individual leaves which are untied from a hand," the leavesheisa' posl lioned on the trlle so as to be capable oi" beingr sei'aedby grippii'ig means active on a point of the stem intermediate the endsthereof. To this end the table l?, is provided with a section or portionl-'llyinqj low the path of the grippers7 as will appear lll) n am n.. l

ies,

ill

itv of the gauge board being provided to the end of adaptingv themaclfiine to various lengths of tobacco leaves. The leaves l.' areplaced on the table withthe butts prefer-r ably alined by the gaugeboard 15, as clearly shown. in Figure 1 of the drawings', theintermediate portion of the leaves being loeated in the space betweenthe table 13 and its extended section 14.

To the end of4 providing means for 'rip-v pin the leaves and forfeeding' them forwa ily, l preferably provide ii-'feeding apparatus of'the type shown in my prior laten'ts `blos." 1,268,392 of J une 1, 1918,and 1,286,191 of November 26, 1918`r the said .teefglingj'meanscomprising` generally endless companion carriers of the sprocket chaintype, the said sprocket chains carrying' comiilemental vgripping` barsfor seizing' and feeding the leaves through the stemmirrg` apparatus.Referring; to Figure 1 of the drawings, l show the sets of companionsprocket chains, one set being;` shown in the drawings and designated as17 and 181espectively, the said sprocket chains being trained overopposed sprocket gears 19, 20, 21 and 22 respectively. he sprocket gearsr9 to 22 are suitably journalled in bracketed stri tures Q3 and Q1forming part of the narv fra'meworkv 11 ofthe machine, the

sin Wears beine` aositivelv actuated to) xY m D .i V be moiable insynchronism by any desirable mechanism;

Spacedly mounted in thesproclet chains 17 and 18 l provide sets ofcomplemental ,gripp elements in the -form of guippirig,r hars the said"ggripinng barsbeing` fed into enactingr clan'iping condition forgripping; and feeding;` the tobacfo leaves. This is clearly shown inFigure 1 of the drawings,

wherein is shown provided a series of spaced carrier bars 25' on thechain 18 and a series of con'iplen'iental clamping?, bars 2G on theendless chain 17. As the companion endless cnains are rotated by thesynchronously operated sprocket gears,the co'mplemental endless gripperbarsY Q5 and 26 are fed into reacting' condition, as clearly shown tothe elt of Figure 1, the gripper bars 2 5 and 26 ,n ipping therebetweenthe leaves L at a 'den intermediateV the ends of the leaves, the .leavesso gripped being .thenfed from the feed table 13 forwardly for `thestemming operation withboth ends of the leaf The leaves after beinggripped and fed forward inthe manner ,hereinabove referred to, arewthenforwarded and Vthe lamina or web of the leaves is stripped from theresulting` folds, For the purposeA of folding the leaves any suitablemeans may beV pro vided and l prefer, as shown in the presentexemplication of my invention, to fold Vthe leavesby the act offeedingthe same through the stemming` elements, the drooping forward endof the leaf facilitating` the folding step. 'Referring again toligure 1of the drawings, I show the provision of stemming' elements such as theopposed stemining` rolls 27 and 28, these stemming rolls being' preferably ofthe type surfaced with card clothing', the 'stemming rolls 27 and28 being, suitably journalled inthe oseillatabie arms 29 and 80respectively. The armQQ is suitably journalled in` the framework of themachine and' the arm 3() is journalled in the bracketed structure 31' f)1'1i1in2'part of the frame 11 of the'machine, such a censtruction beingfully shown in myPatent No. 1,268,392 of June 45,1918. The arms 29 and30 may be provided with adjustable tensioning elementsV as shown in mysaid patent. for the4 purpose of adjusting the` The tostemming action ofthe said rolls. bacco leaves gripped between a carrier bar .25 and aclamping bar 2G are fed by the endless chains to and between the cardclothing rolls 27 and 28, these rolls separatingunder tension to perm-itthe leaves to pass therebetween, the advance or butt end of the leafbeineY lapped or folded under the rear end ofthe leaf by the act offee-5ling thesaid leaf between the stemming` rolls, The separation ofthe stemmingrolls? and 28 and the folding of tl'ieleaf therebetween isclearly shown in Figure of the drawings ln the onward movenient ofthegripping bars Q5 and QG after thek latter pass the stemming rolls 27 and28, the stemming rolls close upon the tobacco leavesv as clearly showninFigure 3 of the drawings, the stripping; `action of the said stemming'rolls vcommencing` at such time. The bars 25 and 26 are given preferablya pear shaped configuration as shown in thel drawings, to the end thatthe rolls 27 anc 9,8 close for stemming activity immediately the saidbars pass from underneath the rolls. The rolls 27 and 2S are rotated inopposite directions as indicated by the arrows in the figures, sui-tablemeans being provided and connected to the other operating parts of theapparatus for imparting' the desired rotation tothe stemming rolls. liththe feeding forward of the bars and the rotation ofthe stemmingrolls 27and 28, the lamina or web of the' leaf ll is stripped from the overlyingfolds of the leaf, the eoacting movement between the gripping' bars andthe rolls effecting a sluiiing or wipmg'stripeffecting a lsimultaneousstripping; or de taching of the folds of the leaf from the stem, asclearly indicated in Figure el. of the drawings. Figure 5 shows thestage of operation after the lamina has been removed from the overlyingfolds of the leaf, the stem S being shown held between the bars 25 and26 ivith the lamina stripped therefrom except for a part of the laminaat the gripping bars which remains attached to the leaf and which isstripped in a subsequentoperation, as will appear more in detailhereinafter.

For the purpose of effecting a secure gri}' ping of the bars 25 and 26as the same are passed bet'vveen the stripping rolls 27 and 28, I mayprovide the opposing pressure shoes 32 and 33 acting on complementalbights or reaches of the companion chains 17 and 18, the shoe 32 beingpreferably stationarily mounted on the framework of the machine and theshoe 33 being vieldingly mounted on the same, the said slice 33 being`resiliently mounted for yielding movement by means of the adjustablespring pressure elements 3e' and 35 connecting opposite ends of the shoe33 to upstanding bearings 3G and 37 respectively, the latter Yformingpart of the framework of the machine.

l have found in the practice of the method carried out by the abovedescribed apparatus,` that the tobacco leaves may be folded about anintermediate point ivitnout breaking or snapping and that the leaf whenso folded mav be effectively stemmed by the simple stripping apparatusherei above described. l have further found that by this method andmeans the stein may be securely gripped at a relatively tough portionthereof, and that When the leaf is folded about the gripped point andmore particularly about the coiuplemental gr'ppe s with the laminasimultaneously stripped in the same direction by the opposing stemmingrolls, that the tendency for the leaf and the stems to slip between thegripping bars during stripping action is effectively minimized with theresulting increase in stemming efficiency, the simultaneous action ofthe stripping rolls on the overlapping folds furthermore tending toequalize the pulling strains on the opposite folds, 'this being anotherfactor' in preventing slipping of the stems between the gripper bars.lilith my method and apparatus, furthermore, the leaves L may be fed tothe table 13 Without that degree of accuracy hitherto found necessary inprior machines Where the :dining of the butts involved 'the need forcare and accuracy of feeding of the stems to the gripper elements, theleaves when in fact fed indiscriminately on the table 13 in my inventionbeing properly talien hold of at some intermediate point by the-grippingbars 25 and 2G. ln prior machines Where the butts of the leaves aregripped and fed forwardly,

the improper positioning of the leaves on the table ofttimes results ina decreased productivity or yield of the apparatus for the re son thatsuch improper feeding results in improper gripping by the bars` thusyielda high percentage of l trops and also resulting at times in missingthe leaves and failing to feed them at all. ln the practice of mymethod, furthermore, it is unnecessary to preliminarily strip the leaffrom vthe butt ends, preliminary butting apparatus being therebyeliminated. Moreover, with the appar-anis l provide, the leaves are fedin a simple manner through a set of stemming elements, the law ofoperation of the niachine being relatively simple with the resultingyielding of more consistent and uniform results.

To the end of preventing the folding of the leaf L about an intermediatepoint from causing the stem at such point to snap or break, the carrierbar about ivhich the leaf folded is eferably so contoured as to preventthe undue flexing of the stem to the breaking point. lo this end the baris convened as shown in the figures of the draivings, Figure 8 of thedrawings showing particularly one form in which my complemental bars maybe made. Referring to this ligure the upper clamping bar 26 is squaredat the. advancing side as shown at 38, the lo'vver orcarrierbar25beingshown rounded or convened as at 39, both bars being shown rounded orconvened as at 39, both bars being shown dished as at el() and Ll1 topemit the stemming rolls to close immediately the bars iass from betweenthe same. The bars 25 and 23 may also be provided ivith complementalcorrugated or sinusoidal gripping surfaces, as sheivn at l2 and L13respectively.

ln the feeding of the leaves through the stripping elements 27 and 23,the leaves may be completely stripped so as to effect stripping in asingle operation, as shown in my co-pending application, Serial No.521,320, tiled December 10, 1921, or the leaves after the lamina isstripped from the folds thereof may be fed for a subsequent strippingoperation to detach that portion of the iveb or lamina adhering to thestem adjacent the gripped point thereof, the present exemplification ofmy invention coi'nprehending` a construction in which a secondarystripping action operative to remove the remaining portion of the Web isprovided. This is shown in liigures 1, G and 7 of the draf-wings, andreferring more particularly to Figure 1 of the drawings, show means forfeeding the primarily stripped stein through secondarystripping orstemmiiig elements. To this end I provide, preferably journalled in thebracket 24, a rotating brush element til rotating clockwise as vieivedin Figure 1 and as indicated by the arrow, thesaid brush element beingactive on the forward orbutt end ofthe stein toV throw the same npwafdlysoithat thebutt end of the stein may glide or slide over a table whichalso may be jonrnalled in the` bracket stri? ture 24. Lifter Ine-vingover .the table the butt end ot the stern S` is received between andgripped by the opposed stem-I peripheral speed substantially equal tothe rectilinear speed of the feed chains 17 and 18 and the gripper bars25 and 26. The stemming rolls 46 and 47 rotate as indicated by thearrows in Figure l, the rolls always rotating in the saine direction andfunction.- ing first to forward the stein received from` the gripperbars 25 and 26 and func tioning subsequently, as will appear pref ently,for steniing or stripping the remain; ing lamina from the stein. Locatedin advance of the secondary stemmingrolls 46 and 47 vand also suitablyjournalled vin the bracketedv structure. 24 l provide the opposeddrawingrolls 48 and 49, the drawing roll 4S being jonrnalled for rotation andthe drawing roll 49 being jonrnalled for rotation and for yieldingmovement to and from the drawing roll48. For the purpose of yieldinglymounted the drawing roll 49 I may provide the journal block 50 slidabiein suitable ways 5l forming part of the bracketed structure 24, anadjustable tensioning means 52 being provided for resiliently urging thejournal block 50 and the roll 49 into coacting relation with the drawingrolli48. The

drawing rolls 48 and 49 are rotated in the directions indicated by thearrows in Figure l, these drawing rolls functioning to receive the steinS from the stemming rolls'46 and 47 and for moving the same forwardly..The

drawing rolls 48 and 49, however, rotate at a speed greater than thespeed of rotation of the stemming rolls 46 and 47, and when the stem Sis received between the drawing rolls 48 and 49, the stem being releasedat this time by the gripping bars, is rapidly pulled through thestemming rolls 46 and 47 with the result that the stemming rolls nowfunctioning for the purpose ofl stripping the remaining` attached laminafrom the stein S, this stage of operation being particularly shown inFigure 6 of the drawings,

the resulting lamina being detached in flakes and falling into thereceptacle 53 provided therefor, the completely stripped stems afterbeing drawn by the drawing rolls 48 and 49 dropping into the adjacentreceptacie 54.

For the purpose of allowing the carrier bars 25 to move past the table45 the said table is prefer-ably pivotally mounted as shown at 57 and isweighted at 58 to the end of permitting the table 45 to resume itshorizontal position after carrier bar lia passed the same.

For the purpose of lreep rolls 4G and 4i" free i preferably i structuresto the ste by. the 'rev being shownin my December 5, ing blades andl 5Gmay t the stemming rolls and especially te Fig" 7 "i th sho-w the saidele rad mounted en the s" an shafts being snitablk jonrni..i l brackets2s., the shafts being` pri'ivide end with the pinions Gl and @L rniesl'iing with the tively. The gear tr may be connecten to the G5 ofthestemming reil47 and the gearb?) mayV be suitably jo'siinelled in ebracket support GG ached te. one the brackets Vflach of 'die gears maybe connected to be operated -by' snitabie el drives, gear 64 beingconnected for op r tion by drive Chain G7, the ,e 63 being the purposedriv'en by drive chain S8. For of driving the-.stemming roll nonsly withthe steinmine roll 4G may be driven from the roll j this end the sha-ftG9 carryinfy the ro provided with the gear TO l t carrying the roll 47is prei/'ieee gear 7l -ineshing with the 70.

The practiee of my n'iethodv and the opera.- tion of my apparatus will,in the main, be apparent from the above detailed descripi tion thereof.rEhe leaves L, after being;` nntied from the bundle or thand,7 areplaeed on the table 13 and table section 14 with the butts of the leavespreferabiy alined by the gauge board. 15. Theieaves positioned :in thismanner arelthen gripped at p' interniec iate 'the ends thereof betn nthe gripper bars 25 and 26 with'the leaves then fed forwardly. is theleaves are advanced by the I.gripper bars the leaves are fed between thestennning rollsl' and QS., the

stemming rolls functioning to fold the advance portions of the leavesunder the remaining portions of the leaves, the leaves so folded beingthen fed through the stripping rolls 27 and 28: for the rst or primarystemming operation. The leaves are securely `gripped by means'ofthergripping' bars 25 and 26, the gripping being. si qacient to overcomethe opposing pulls exerted on the stein by the stripping rolls, thestrij'iping rolls in being operative simultaneously on opposite folds ofthe leaf tending to equalize the opposing pulls. rift-er the ianiina et'the leaf stripped from the foids, the stem with the lamina adjacent theerated upon by the secondary stripping elements 46 and i7 for reclaimingor salvaging the remaining adhering portions of the web.

From the above it will be apparent that l have provided an apparatus inwhich the leaves may be effectively gripped at an intermediate point andefficiently fed for the stripping step, the stripping apparatus being ofrelatively simple construct-ion and the cooperation of the feeding andstripping means being such as to permit of high speed of operation,efficient stemming, and easy control by an operator.

While l have shown my device in the preferred for it will be obviousthat many changes and modifications may be made in the structuredisclosed without departing from the spirit of the invention, defined inthe following claims.

I claim:

l. The method of leaf stemming which consists in gripping the leaf stemat a point intermediate its ends, in folding the leaf and in removingthe lamina portions of the leaf from the folds.

2. The method of leaf stemming which consists in gripping the leaf stemat a portion intermediate its ends, in folding the lea-f, in removingthe lamina portions of the leaf from the folds and in removing thelamina from said gripped stein portion.

3. The method of leaf stemming which consists in gripping the leaf stemat a point intermediate its ends, in folding the leaf and in removingthe lamina portions of the leaf from the folds by drawing the samethrough stemming or stripping elements.

et. The method of leaf stemming which consists in gripping the leaf stemat a point intermediate its ends and in stripping the lamina portions Qfthe leaf from such point towards the ends of the leaf by drawing thegripped leaf through a single set of stemming elements operating tostrip both ends.

5. The method of leaf stemming` which consists in gripping the leaf stemat a portion intermediate its ends, in folding the leaf, in removing thelamina portions of the leaf from the folds by drawing the same throughstemming elements and in then removing the lamina from the grippedportion of said stem.

6. The method of leaf stemming which consists in gripping the leaf stemat a portion intermediate its ends, in stripping the lamina portions ofthe leaf from such point towards the ends of the leaf by drawing thegripped leaf through a single set of stemming elements operating tostrip both ends and in then drawing the stem through another set ofstemming elements te remove the lamina from said gripped stem portion.

7. The method of stemming tobacco, which comprises folding the leaf at apoint intermediate its ends, and stripping the lamina-J from the foldtowards the ends of the leaf.

8. The steps in the process of stemming leaves which consist in foldingthe leaf about a point intermediate its ends and in removing the laminafrom the resulting folds.

9. in apparatus for stemming leaves, comprising means for effecting agripping of the leaf stem at a point intermediate its ends whereby theleaf may be folded and means for stemming the leaf in folded condition.

10.1Y`in apparatus for stemming leaves comprising means for effecting agripping of the leaf stein at a point intermediate its ends whereby theleaf may be fed in folded condition, stemming elements and means forfeeding the folded leaf through the stemming elements.

11,. An apparatus for stemming leaves, coinprisincr means for effectinga gripping of the lear stem at a point intermediate its ends whereby theleaf may he folded and means for stemming the leaf in folded condition,the gripping means comprising a gripping bar convexed at the advance endto permit folding of the leaf without breaking the stem thereof.

l2. ln an apparatus for stemming leaves, a gripping means comprising agripping har convened at the advance end to permit folding of the leafabout the said har without breaking the stem thereof.

13. Anapparatus for leaf stemming comprising means for effecting agripping of the leaf stem at a point intermediate its ends whereby theleaf may be folded, means for stemming the lamina from the resultingleaf folds and means for stemming the lamina from the gripped portion ofthe stem.

14e. An apparatus for leaf stemming comprising means for effecting agripping of the leaf stem at a portion intermediate its ends whereby theleaf may be folded and means for removing the lamina from the leaf foldsand from the gripped stem portion.

15.An apparatus for stemming leaves comprising means for effecting agripping of the leaf stem at a. portion intermediate its ends wherebythe leaf may be fed in folded condition, primary stemming elements andmeans for feeding the folded leaf through the primary stemming elementsto remove the lamina from the folds, secondary stemming elements andmeans for feeding the stem through the secondary stemming elements toremove the lamina from the gripped stem poi-tion.

16. An apparatus for stemming tobacco comprising means for effecting agripping of the leaf at a point intermediate its ends and feeding thesame so gripped through stemming elements; the stemming elementsfunctioning to fold the leaf and to strip the lamina from the resultingfolds.

17. In an appa 'atus for stemming tobacco, a `gripper means, means forfeeding the gripper' means, a feed table for tobacco leaves arranged tointersect the path of movement of the gripper means, the arrangementbeing such that the moving gripper means will take hold of a tobaccoleaf on the feed table at a point intermediate the ends thereof.

18. In an apparatus for stemming tobacco, complement-al endless chainfeeding means,

companion gripper bars carried by the chain` feeding means, a tobaccofeed table associated with the feeding means, the said feed tablecomprising a gauge board intersecting the path of movement of thegripper bars, the construction being such that the tobacco leaf on thegauge board is gripped by the bars at a point intermediate the endsthereof.

19. An apparatus for stemming leaves comprising means for gripping theleaf stem at a point intermediate its ends whereby the leaf may be fedin folded condition, plurality of relatively movable stemming rollshaving their axes in a vertical plane and means for feeding the foldedleaf through the stemming rolls, thel gripping means comprising aplurality of gripping bars between which the leaf stem is held, one ofthe bars being convexed at the advance end thereof.

20. In an apparatus for stemming tobacco, means for effecting thegripping of the stem at a oint intermediate the ends thereof and forceding the stem forward so gripped, stemming elements, means active onthis advance end of the stem for directing the said end to the stemmingelements, the stemming element-s being operative to feed the stemforward and drawing means receiving the stem from the stemming elementsand operative to draw the same through Vthe stemming elements.

21. In an apparatus for stemming tobacco, means for effecting thegripping of the stem at a point intermediate the ends thereof and forfeeding the same forward so gripped, stemming rolls, means active' onthe advance end of the stem for dii1 eting the said end to the stemmingrolls, the said means including a rota-ry brush, the stemming rollsbeing operative to feed the stem forward and drawing rolls receiving thestem from the stemming rolls and operative to draw the same through thesaid stemming rolls.

22. The method of simultaneously stripping the laminae from a pointintermediate the ends of a tobacco leaf toward both ends withua singlestripping device, which comprises folding the leaf, Vand drawing itthrough the stripping device in folded condition.

Signed at Lynchburg, inthe county of Campbell and State of Virginia,this 6th day of December A. D., 1921.

FREDERICK C. SCIIOFIELD.

